None has mention it sofar, but think about muscle memory. In fast sports your muscles work 'automatically' by initiating a motion sequence triggered often by some visual trigger. How good and fast you can act in a sport depends a lot on how consistently you train these motion sequences. This is not a concious decision, it works automatically, therefor you need a lot of practise and training until your muscles are able to work 'automatically'. So changing a racket will make it a lot more difficulty to train your muscle memory. Sure, Watanabe, a pro player you most likely train 6 days a week for several hours, will have enough practise to even play with two different rackets, but if you want to get better faster, you should stick to one racket for a longer time.
Depends. I used to think like this and used my 4U AX88D for most of my MD and occasional singles. But over the past 6 months of playing only singles due to the pandemic limitations, I found that my 3U AX88D is much more effortless for singles. So I'd suggest using the same model racket but 3U for singles and rear XD, and 4U for fast MD. Sent from my SM-G988W using Tapatalk
This is a good point. If you split your time with two different racquets at a time when your game and strokes are changing quickly during a phase of learning, then it’s another source of variability. If you already have the strokes, racquet carriage etc at a time when your stroke technique is stable (note I didn’t write good) then that’s a time when you can experiment. So if you are a social player trying to be a bit competitive and using the same (perhaps non-standard) techniques, that’s when you can change racquets. If you are training hard, learning lots, then I would try to keep all equipment the same…same model shoes, same size grips, same racquet model, same string, same tension (or maybe experiment with the tension a bit since there’s a regular restring going on). Definitely change the clothes though - if you don’t, the smell might get antisocial. LOL.
Normally, I use a different racket for singles than for doubles, but I'm currently only playing with my singles racket, even for doubles. I noticed starting again after lockdown that I was out off shape. Not so much physically, but technically. The muscle memory that would normally have been enforced bi-weekly had been neglected since the start of the lockdown. So my timing was off, my footwork was horrendous and even though I quickly got used to proper hitting technique, for a while it was difficult to get the timing right when I was under (even a little) pressure. What I also noticed was that I played much better with my singles racket compared to my doubles racket. My doubles racket is very light and I love it, because there is so little resistance when playing with it. It allows for very short hitting actions and you can put the racket anywhere around you very quickly. I rarely feel like I have to force my racket, like it is working against me. My singles racket is a little heavier than my doubles racket, so it's a little more cumbersome, but in singles the difference is negligible. The extra weight makes it so that I have to work with the racket, instead of making it do whatever I want (like in doubles). This is helpful in singles, because the racket forces you to use a cleaner technique, and results in better shots (and shot quality is more important in singles than in doubles in my experience). Because the singles racket forced a cleaner technique, playing with it almost automatically made me play better, and over the course of a few sessions, returned me to my pre-lockdown form. In the beginning, when trying to play with my doubles racket, I mistimed almost everything and I couldn't feel my shots. You can tell if a shot is good or not based on how it feels on impact. But I couldn't feel anything. It's hard to adjust your timing and technique if you don't feel when it's good and when it isn't. I quickly changed to my singles racket, but I'm certain that if I had tried to get back in shape with my doubles racket it would have taken quite a bit longer. I'm sure if I switch back to my doubles racket now that I have recovered my technique and feeling, I won't have any problem with it, and my doubles play will likely be better than if I kept playing with my singles racket. So, long story short, to add to @Ballschubser 's earlier post: Everyone has their own preferences and one persons singles-racket might be too light to be someone else's doubles-racket, but if you are actively working on your technique, and have a 'doubles-racket' and a 'singles-racket' in your bag, I would say use the 'singles-racket'. Especially if you're working on shots that initially might feel less natural, like the high backhand. Extra weight on the racket forces you to follow the racket, use a more efficient technique, and make you feel the movement more (which likely means muscle memory develops faster).
This is really good ! And I actually had this debate and similar thoughts with myself! The only thing I'm thinking of is that the training volume I'm going through is so much (2 hours physical, 3 hours of on court 6 days a week) I am worried about long term sustainability, as I'm potentially doing this for up to 6 months (minimum 3). My singles racket is an astrox 99, which even made Kento switch from 3U to 4u just because it tired him out mid games (least I heard). So I'm currently using the 88s pro's I have - more moderate head weight, not as stiff of a shaft either. I like to think that if technique is solid it'll transfer over but since I'm working so much rn, should just use an "easier" racket for the time being (plus I have two of them)
I don't know how different those rackets are, but I understand they are pretty similar. You don't have to make a definitive choice. If you want to try playing with the 99, try it. If you find it's not sustainable, you can always go back to the 88. Or if you've had a particularly draining session and your shoulder/elbow/forearm is still sore when the next session rolls around, you can always play with the 88, even if it is just for that 1 session. Or even within a session if you feel it's too much, you can revert to the 88. If you try it and come to the conclusion that you play better with the 99, but also that it is not sustainable, you can use it as a match racket, and only use it when the stakes are higher.
Actually did try playing with the astrox 99 and it was easier - way easier to play with. Am I wrong for then switching back to the 88s pro because it was harder and I should learn how to play with the harder racket? My thoughts is I've got to really play with more technique and really nail rotation of body and forearm with the 88s pro to get acceptable power and quality.
The 99 is a stiff racket , right ? I would try a more flex racket too, like the 77. I own the 88s (first version),88d(first version), 77 , with the 77 being the most flexible one(mid-flex). And I'm struggling a lot more with the 88s/d than the 77, for me it is a lot harder to play a defensive, deep clear with a stiff racket when under pressure.Sure, a stiff/head heavy racket like the 99 will deliver some nice powerful smashes, but eventually as you progress, the angle and positioning of a smash will be a lot more important than the power (at least in singles). Watching your videos from the other thread, you play very short games as it seems, so no back-line to back-line battles so far, but once you will advance to hit the shuttle from back to back , a more flexible racket will help a lot. It will not tire you out so fast, so that you can keep up a better shot quality over a longer duration.
quite agree with thia. Tho i havent see the video, thing come back to us coz each of us had different attribute, trait, & weakness. For someone with excessive muscle strength, using heavy racket seems easy but for others lighter one would be best. But muscular people are not quite agile & fast so handling light racket would struggle them. Environment also become a parameter. When i play with beginner, i could basically use any racket given to me regardless the spec & smashing with any racket would still pass through their defense & also any mistake are quite forgiving as they wont have the skill to execute a punishing shot. But when it come to skilled opponent, i will need my best racket im most familiar with, as to face them as little mistake would be my lost.
I don't know much about these rackets. But the question is whether the racket that is harder to play with gives you something that the easier racket doesn't. And if that something is worth the extra effort. Don't play with the harder racket just because it's harder. For improving players, I would advise to play with something flexible or mid-flex. It's easier to focus on technique when you don't have to focus on timing. As rackets get stiffer, their timing sweetspot decreases and it takes a faster swing to deliver the same power. This gives players whose technique isn't fully developed a tendency to overcompensate with their shoulder (which leads to injury) and/or forearm (which leads to poor technique). This inhibits improvement of hitting technique, because the player can't hit good shots in a relaxed way. My earlier posts are mostly about the different weight between a singles racket and a doubles racket, not the flexibility. All my rackets are medium-flex.
Choose the racket that gives you the best performance in terms of effortless power, telepathic accuracy, and best touch/feel. Don't go choosing one on purpose that makes you work harder than you need to. The same goes for string and tension choice. Sent from my SM-G988W using Tapatalk
The Astrox 99 really felt good when my contact point was high and the timing of my swing/forearm rotation was good. We did clears for like basically half of our training session today and it's sore af, so idk if I'm just not used to it or the racket is "too hard" for me. I'm really considering picking up either an arcsaber 11 they sell here, or a NF 700 to make things easier for me. I see a lot of the junior students playing with ax77's and honestly might do that - I've played with one before and remembering it having easy power. But before all of this first, I'm going to try going lower on tension - still sticking to exbolt 63. I'll try 24 pounds next time i get my rackets r restrung.
Just realized I got my gf an Astrox 5FX forever ago and she brought it. What the hell, I'll try it out tomorrow. FOr reference, it's a flex head heavy racket, but it's 5U lol.
Been thinking about this a lot tbh. Especially how I should be looking to play with a racket with effortless power, telepathic accuracy, and the best/touch feel. At the moment that's the AX99. Power isn't effortless (but still miles better than what I was getting from the 88s pro), but it satisfies the other two. I've been thinking about why my forearm may be hurting so much - it could just be an adaptation to the workload but I also do think that I feel rushed all the time during training - which probably speaks on poor footwork. Because of this, I feel tense, and am not able to generate as much power as I could normally. This is getting so philosophical and deep for me. Ideally, I'd try an astrox 77 as I still want something head heavy just with an easier shaft.
You are not used to it and probably haven’t yet developed the most efficient use of your body and swing technique might not be yet optimised.
Both are 4U. Yeah likely. I'll post another training update soon and perhaps through video that guess can be confirmed/denied
I'm also not sure he's properly using finger power. His swing looks a bit "army". Sent from my SM-G988W using Tapatalk
Ah then you should try the old 88D in 4U. Would be just right head heavy and stiff but still usable shaft flex. Sent from my SM-G988W using Tapatalk
I've just got my hand on a 88S Game, coming from an ax99, I find it quite similar in balance, which is strange (or it is just me ) . It's basically an ax99 medium flex shaft Edit : nevermind, that's completely bullshit xD It was the 88D game
